Don't Read This
by Crystia
Summary: Forced to write a private journal by his brother, Kaiba writes a surprising amount about someone he's supposed to hate—Joey Wheeler. KaibaxJoey
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

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><p><em>January 15, 20XX<em>

Only fools record anything that could be potentially damaging, but only a true fool would mistake me for one.

This will not be a journal of my deepest secrets. This will not reveal my "mortal weakness", and it will not hold the key to money and fame. But if you choose to pursue this, I will still ensure that you suffer terribly for it. Let me spell this out for you, since I've found that the world does, indeed, consist largely of fools.

If you're not Seto Kaiba, put the journal down. If you read further, know that you are dealing with someone who has far more power and capability than you could ever comprehend.

I will make this tediously clear. I do not make promises without keeping them, so consider yourself warned when I say that you will regret it if you so much as glance past this introductory paragraph. If you do not wish to make a permanent enemy out of KaibaCorp and live in fear for the rest of your pathetic existence, the solution is simple: don't read this.

Of course, half the fault would be mine if you did. I never thought I'd sink so low as to address an inanimate object. Did my brother expect me to write 'Dear Diary' or any of that commercial bullshit? I refuse to indulge such a ludicrous pretense.

The only reason I'm writing in this at all is because despite my earlier forewarning, it would be virtually impossible for anyone to get ahold of this. No one has access to my room aside from Mokuba, and he would never invade my privacy so immaturely. He knows the consequences, even if they have always been much milder for him. Besides, he would defeat the purpose of having convinced me to write a journal in the first place.

He said if he wouldn't be around for me to talk to, he wanted to know I'd at least do this much. And so if it puts my brother at ease while he's away in America, I'll waste a few minutes of my my time, if only in hopes that he'll stop pestering me to acquire 'friends' instead.

If it had been anyone but Mokuba, I would have laughed at the suggestion. Most people would know not to waste their efforts trying to convince me of the value of friendship. But my brother is not _most people._ Frankly, such a suggestion is insulting.

I refuse to write in this 'frequently', but Mokuba seemed satisfied with an 'occasionally'. I might as well. I won't hold an intelligent conversation otherwise, and talking to myself is the closest thing I'll get to a rational conversation when the only other option is Yugi or one of his pathetic cheerleaders.

Even if his decision surprised me, it's not that I don't understand why Mokuba wants to study abroad, although I can't say I appreciate the choice. Especially not when he chose America, of all places.

Obviously, I've visited the country before, generally for business, so perhaps my disapproval stems from my own experiences there. Most people with common sense, an area in which the average American appears severely lacking, turn away from me as soon as they meet my glare.

On one particularly abhorrent occasion; however, I remember two adolescent teenage girls plagued my otherwise uneventful trip. The two girls seemed entirely devoid of any sense of decency, and sometimes I wonder if someone didn't put them up to it. As soon as they met my gaze, which _should_ have driven them away, they enthusiastically declared me a 'bishounen'* and clung to me relentlessly.

It was a public street, so I couldn't fight them off without causing a scene and drawing more attention, but I eventually had no choice but to order my security guards drive them away. The imbeciles caused unnecessary hassle when I had wanted to proceed unnoticed, and even drew the attention of the media. Ridiculous.

What kind of country allows school girls to shout Japanese and harass random foreigners without consequence? They were even released without disciplinary action because they didn't attempt to take any of my possessions; they only begged for pictures.

At least Mokuba is too young to worry about being attacked by indiscriminate teenage girls, or so I assume. Although I did have Roland accompany him, or else I would never have any peace of mind.

Of course, reminiscing about such trivial, foolish events of the past is pointless. Writing about them is even more pointless, and I never would have agreed to this inane journal if it hadn't been Mokuba's only request before he left. A favor which has no value aside from the fact that it's for Mokuba himself.

A waste of my time, just like that mindless idiot, Joey Wheeler.

I'd appreciate nothing more than to strangle the moron, but unfortunately, the lawsuits that would follow would ruin the satisfaction. KaibaCorp's lawyers are the best in the business, but covering up murder costs time, so no matter how satisfying Wheeler's inevitable and gratifying defeat would be, I've never bothered to expend the effort.

I'm beginning to consider otherwise, however, since I've recently discovered that some incompetent fool in management hired the idiot a month ago. He is now an official employee of KaibaCorp, and I'm not so incompetent that I'd fire him when he meets all the job requirements, however reluctant I was to believe that unlikely fact.

I will never comprehend how he received a college degree qualifying him for the job, but my opinion of public education has been lowered dramatically ever since.

Perhaps I should elaborate. Wheeler now works as a member of the programming department, and his job involves testing the prototypes of various KaibaCorp products. If I was feeling generous, which I rarely am, I would say the work suits him, since the job requires interactive reasoning and allows him to play duel monsters on a regular basis.

And as much as I loath to admit it, he _is_ a valuable staff member. He has hands-on experience with the technology used in tournaments, and accompanied by his (rudimentary) strategy and knowledge of the game, he's a rare asset.

In other words, although I could fire him, it would be disadvantageous for the company. So I'm denied the satisfaction of sending him away jobless and miserable, _and_ I have to put up with his sickeningly optimistic attitude every day at work.

I should fire him for his unprofessionalism. Even today, the loser challenged me to a duel while on the job. The delusional amateur seems to think he can win against me, and when I refused his challenge, he had the nerve to call me a coward.

Since I had unfortunately decided prior to the meeting that I wasn't going to fire the moron, I decided to take the opportunity to put him in his place. The date is set for this weekend, and I'm looking forward to seeing his face when he loses spectacularly. We haven't dueled in years, and it will be refreshing to remind that mutt what real talent is.

Besides, with Mokuba gone, I haven't been taking any breaks. Defeating Wheeler should prove to be a relaxing distraction from work. Mokuba would approve.

I've discovered there's only one thing that puzzles me about Wheeler. I did a background check on him when I discovered his recent employment, and I immediately found the reason why he was so desperate that he'd take a job at KaibaCorp. I was suspicious, after all. He's an idiot, but he's always had his pride, and he never should have accepted the job under normal circumstances.

He's in debt. His father was a good-for-nothing drunk and gambler, and after dying from alcohol overdose last year, it seems as though he left the dog with the clean-up.

But even then, his father's debts don't even account for half of what he owes, regardless of their considerable sum. Wheeler took out a loan so he could attend college. Not a large amount by my standards, but Wheeler clearly falls under another category.

His current job pays well for his standing, but not enough. Taking into account interest and living expenses, he won't be out of the red until he's an old man, if not dead.

Wheeler, Wheeler, Wheeler. Why am I writing so much about that dork? I could care less about that moron and his insignificant problems. He isn't my business, nor do I want him to be.

This should be sufficient enough for my first entry. Perhaps my last, if Mokuba forgets about this by the time he comes to visit me. I've already spent too long on this as it is. I have a company to run, not time to waste.

_-Seto Kaiba _

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><p><strong>*bishounen=hot guy<strong>

**Edited 2/5/2015. I know this is far from perfect. Feedback is appreciated… This thing is so old, I don't even know how to fix it anymore. T.T**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the encouragement **_**Difinity, rainmadeadoor, Nadine, S-YGO, Jounouchi Katsuya, and shadowkitsune-sama. **_**You guys rock! :D**

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><p><em>March 3, 20XX<em>

Mokuba came to visit the other day, and was extremely disappointed when I informed him I'd only written in his proposed journal once. I hardly see why this is so important to him, but he practically begged me, or perhaps nagged would be the more appropriate term. He seems to have outgrown his childish pleading, to an extent.

He forgets algebra that he learned only a day prior, but he remembers the journal he bought me over two months ago. Brothers or not, even I have trouble interpreting how his mind works.

But if nothing else, we have one thing in common: our talent in persuasion. Neither Mokuba nor I would have lasted this long with easy compliance, although my brother tends to favor a softer form of cajolery. As the president of a major corporation, I've never been able to afford such indulgences, but then, I've always been more skilled at the various methods of coercion.

Unethical? Perhaps in the view of the insignificant nobodies who make up the majority of the world. But that's why they're struggling to pay their electric bills while I'm flying across the country in a private jet.

Despite choosing a less brutal weapon of choice, however, I am doubtful of Mokuba's supposed ethical superiority. He executes an utterly different strategy, but one nonetheless formidable in its own way. Instead of intimidation, he uses brainwashing.

It sounds like something that idiotic mutt would say, but I have no better way of describing it. I suppose it's all down to semantics. So, for lack of a better term, Mokuba is skilled in the art of brainwashing.

Brainwashing has been used throughout the ages, and one notable type has been suffered by prisoners of war. When captured, the enemy would greet and welcome their prisoners warmly, offering them food and comfort.

When the prisoners returned to their allies, they would be unable to rid themselves of their first impression, thus rendering them incapable of fighting the enemy, and sometimes even causing them to cooperate. They were fooled into thinking their adversaries were sincere and harmless.

On a lesser scope, my brother has mastered a similar technique, one that has mutated over the years, so that I could never develop a true resistance. Not that I couldn't oppose him, if I wished to, but such a decision would be contrary to my central purpose: ensure Mokuba's wellbeing.

Still, even if Mokuba does have the inexplicable ability to make me feel _guilt_, I wouldn't succumb to any request he makes simply because he _begs._ I'm writing in this because I happen to have a small amount of free time. Perhaps it _did _seem cruel to refuse him when he looked so pitiable with his miserably tragic expression, but I viewed the situation with complete impartiality.

Yet I have little that I care to write aside from business reports and programming. As I said, this will not be a book of secrets and intrigue. But what is there to write, aside from work? I have yet to see the use in participating in such an unproductive activity.

It seems the last time I wrote an entry, I mentioned Wheeler. The fool has somehow managed to keep his job, and I have to say, if he wasn't an idiot, I'd be mildly impressed. Except for the fact that he _is_, so I'm not.

It goes without saying that I won the duel we had a few months back. He never stood a chance; it was a complete waste of my time. Perhaps someday that simpleton will find someone he can actually beat. Like an infant, or maybe a monkey.

After the duel, I somehow ended up eating with the mongrel. We went out for lunch because of a bet, but it wasn't as agonizing as I thought it would be. I hardly enjoyed it, but it wasn't so tedious that I arranged Wheeler's death or anything of the like.

The bet was as follows: whoever lost treated the other to lunch. I ended up receiving the worse end of the deal despite my win; the food Wheeler can afford barely constitutes as _food_.

Burger World. How do people eat such repulsive, greasy meals? Mokuba's fond of fast food, but I fail to see the appeal of that poorly prepared garbage.

And of course, I ended up paying for the trash since the imbecile forgot his wallet. Only _Wheeler_ would be stupid enough to stand in line, order his meal, and _then_ realize he forgot his money.

Idiot.

Wheeler, obviously, had no qualms about eating the substandard food, hungry or not. He devoured his unappetizing burger with an irritatingly cheerful facade, ignoring my persistent attempts to provoke him.

Truly, the endless small talk and pleasantries were nauseating. I'm well aware he hates me as much as I hate him, so I cannot come up with a plausible reason as to why he continues to pester me.

Even going so far as to say that it was a "good duel", and, I quote, "we should do this again sometime". He _lost_, yet he continued his friendly chatter throughout the entire meal, appearing to genuinely enjoy himself.

Then again, I stopped listening after he claimed that next time, he'd stop going easy on me and "kick my rich ass into next week". I'd almost forgotten how utterly crass he could be.

Regardless, if he tried, he'd have about as much success with that as he did attempting to win even _one_ of those duel monsters tournaments he entered.

His idiocy is beyond comprehension. I fail to see how he can act so carefree and irresponsible when he has so many problems, especially when his father recently passed away, leaving Wheeler in debt and with a sister to support.

After dragging his son into the slums and remaining a jobless, no-good drunk, maybe Wheeler's better off with him dead.

But I know he's perfectly aware of his unfavorable circumstances. He's maintained his annoyingly optimistic personality all through high school, and now into his twenties. It probably costs him considerable effort to keep up that facade, yet it never falters.

Why doesn't he retaliate in anger? Or even wear an indifferent mask? Surely he slips up on occasion, yet I've never witnessed it. I wonder if the true Joseph Wheeler is as idiotic as "Joey" would have the world believe.

This looks sufficient. The topic of Wheeler is about as significant as Yugi's game shop in relation to the whole of KaibaCorp, but I suppose his insignificance is to my advantage in this case: nothing I write about _him_ can be used against me, given how little I care.

As long as Mokuba is satisfied, I suppose the content hardly matters.

_-Seto Kaiba_

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><p><strong>Edited 2-5-2015. I feel like I'm not even making a difference. <strong>

**Feedback, as always, is a blessing from Ra. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Yep, I have a **_**very**_** good reason for not updating sooner. Yes, a very good reason, indeed. You see, Kaiba doesn't write in his journal regularly, so to enhance the reading experience, I update sporadically! Ya know, to keep him in character! :D**

…**Okay, I admit it, I totally BS-ed that. Forgive me… ; . ; **

**Thank you **_**dancing elf, shadowkitsune-sama, YGOfangirl4ever, anon, TeresaShiho, Sorry I'm such a nerd, Midoto Hikari, and naurn**_**. Your reviews are all awesome, and I love you dearly. :)**

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><p><em>March 30, 20XX<em>

I often wonder if it would be worth the trouble to cover up the murder of a twenty-year-old male.

More specifically, a twenty-year-old-male with a brooklyn accent, striking blond hair, an obnoxiously loud mouth, 178 centimeters in height, blood type B, and who bears an uncanny resemblance to a golden retriever.

The male in question would coincidentally be working at my company, and would hypothetically go by the name _Joey Wheeler_.

Recently, I find that I'm pondering this dilemma on an increasingly frequent basis.

On a completely unrelated note, today, the mutt thought it would be amusing to reprogram one of the simulation systems. More specifically, the holographic dueling computer modeled after myself, and equipped with a virtual version of my deck.

Even _more _specifically, he thought it would be downright _ingenious_ to 'modify' my deck so instead of my esteemed Blue Eyes White Dragons, my deck was filled with an assortment of Kuribohs, and _of course_, he told me reassuringly, _Winged Kuribohs._

Joey then saw fit to duel my holographic counterpart. The hologram's resemblance to myself only increased the hilarity of the situation as it summoned helpless Kuriboh after helpless Kuriboh, Wheeler destroying the pathetic fuzzballs with reckless abandon.

Needless to say, I didn't share his enjoyment of the prank.

I fired him.

Or at least, that's what _should _have happened. Yet I am utterly disturbed by the perplexing and unexpected outcome of the incident. I told him immediately that he was fired, just as I would have if it had been any other employee displaying such immaturity. But somehow, it seems that the monkey wiggled his way out of the mess.

The mutt is lucky that his supervisor pleaded shamelessly on his behalf, or he'd have found himself on the streets jobless and in debt.

I don't care whether or not the idiot has money troubles or not, but why the hell is he so careless? If he loses his job, he can't afford to support himself anymore, and he'll be unable to help pay for his sister's college.

Nor did he take the situation serious enough. He brushed off my threats to fire him, acting as though I wouldn't follow through on them. The only thing that saved him was his supervisor, but he seems to credit my generosity to _friendship. _

He's completely delusional if he thinks we're friends now, just because I dueled him and he accompanied me to lunch, _once_. I only humored the bet to flaunt that _I won_, but he appears to be under the impression that I enjoyed myself.

It's utter _nonsense_, yet Wheeler follows along with it, and drags me into the same foolishness. If I had a dime for every time someone in the dweeb patrol mentioned 'friendship', I'd be even richer.

Perhaps it's even worse in Wheeler's case, however, since he never outright _says_ anything about being 'friends'; at least, not to me. I can hardly argue with him about its absurdity when he never proclaims it outright, but I _know_ what he's thinking.

If he had common sense, he would take his job seriously and respect his superiors. Namely, _me_. Of course, Wheeler's always been sorely lacking in that department.

He acts as though he's invincible, but in reality, I could crush that idiot flat with the effort it would take to swat a mosquito. He's certainly annoying enough.

I'm tempted to. I could rid myself of the unnecessary irritation, and never have to lay eyes on the idiot again.

But I don't. Perhaps it's his situation. Wheeler's situation has an undeniable similarity to my own, and as long as he does his job well, I've decided to let the idiot keep his job.

He's struggling to support his sister. The money Yugi gave him from Duelist Kingdom was enough to pay for most of her eye surgery, but her mother had to pay the remainder, and lacks the money to fully support her daughter in college. Wheeler helps pay for it so she doesn't have to take out a loan, even though he needs the money to pay his own increasing debt.

The situation with his sister reminds me oddly of mine with Mokuba. Wheeler is given a choice: live without responsibility and without his sister, or suffer the hardships and protect her at all costs.

In reality, I know that he sees no choice, just like I see none in mine. Living without Mokuba is not an option, no matter what the costs.

Unlike Wheeler, however, I was born blessed with a _brain_. And that makes all the difference when trying to support and protect someone from the harsh reality.

So in addition to being qualified for the job, perhaps I don't fire him for irritating me because his efforts aren't as idiotic as he is. It's not necessarily his fault he has the mentality of a goldfish.

And maybe I can relate to him as well, emotionally at least (because I certainly can't relate to him _intellectually_). I may not believe in the artificial relationships he has with the geek squad, but I understand the strength of a blood bond. Especially when that bond connects you to the last person who truly cares about you.

Despite my clear advantage, however, sometimes I don't think I protected Mokuba well enough. I can't help but wonder if Wheeler feels the same, with his sister. Then again, he hasn't failed as many times as I have.

The feeling of incompetence is overwhelming when I think of all the times I've almost lost my brother. The orphanage. Gozaburo. Pegasus. Bakura. Marik. Noah. He's been kidnapped so many times, despite all my efforts to shield him.

Would we have been better of waiting in the orphanage? Would it have been better for him to be adopted on his own, regardless of separation? He might have had friends, _aside_ from a midget who thinks he's an ancient pharaoh and his lackeys.

They waste so much time on their insignificant friendship rituals, they don't realize that their pacts are just a weak mockery of a true bond. If they're willing to give up everything for anyone, what are they going to do when they have to choose one person over the other?

This world isn't the perfect world of black and white that they pretend it is. It's not possible to protect everyone. In the end, there's no hope of surviving without having your priorities in order. And with the knowledge that you'll pick one person over everything else, how can you possibly have a true bond, a 'true friendship', with anyone else?

Even Mokuba realizes that you can only have one person you can truly commit yourself to, only one person you can truly prioritize and protect. For me, Mokuba takes precedence over _everything_, and if he's being honest, he knows that I'm his priority in return.

His naiveté begins, however, when he thinks it's possible to have genuine relationships with other people. Those relationships are artificial, and could easily break because of the slightest disturbance.

But at the same time, he wouldn't be the same without his guilelessness, and in this particular aspect, I cannot fail to protect him. He doesn't need to learn of this world's cruelty first hand, as I did.

Then again, perhaps I'm already too late. For all my money and resources, it's pitifully obvious that Wheeler has done the better job of protecting his sister.

My phone just went off. Some mindless drone called to tell me they can't reprogram the computer Wheeler modified. If those idiots can't get rid of those damned Kuribohs, there'll be hell to pay; I'll see to that.

That dog better be whimpering at my feet if he wants any mercy from me when I go clean up this mess.

_-Seto Kaiba_

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><p><strong>Review? :D *hopeful smile*<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**Special thanks to **_**dancing elf, TeresaShiho, Clarity2199, shadowkitsune-sama, VerdeICe, BlackHeartsxxRedSpades926, and YGOfangirl4ever**_**. You guys left such thoughtful and supportive reviews; I was really moved! I love you all dearly, and I deeply apologize for not updating this story sooner. **

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><p><em>April 26, 20XX<em>

Bulletproof. Fireproof and water resistant. Expertly concealed. A variety of biometric recognition systems, including a fingerprint scanner, facial identification, and a sensor detecting vocal patterns. An arbitrary, ten-digit numerical password known only by me and recorded nowhere. Located in my mansion, completely surrounded by the best security in existence. And if anyone were moronic enough to even _attempt_to break in, all evidence would be incinerated in less than a second.

All for what? This journal doesn't have anything particularly incriminating, and yet if it were to be released to the public, the media would have a field day. The media, full of writhing, greedy, scheming snakes and their incessant demands. They'd twist my words with sadistic ecstasy; but then again, they already do. They call for a public statement, but in reality they only want something to contort; something to butcher and cut up beyond recognition. And then they serve it to their audience, deriving disgusting pleasure from the horrified reaction they receive.

Yes, that's right...but that's not even the whole picture. Because that would make the solution too obvious. The solution, any logical person immediately would think, is to refuse to make a statement at all. Say nothing.

Ah, but that's the trap. Without a statement, it's a silent admittance of defeat. Of forfeit. Without a statement, the media can say whatever it likes. '_Seto Kaiba refused to comment on the issue'_ or '_Seto Kaiba displayed little concern over the situation, withholding any statement'._ The famous lines. Refusal to comment is paramount to a confession of secrecy.

There's a choice. Answer and be ridiculed, or remain silent and be ridiculed. Play the fool or be a coward.

Somehow, though, my image has been maintained over the years. Cold-hearted, unfeeling, cruel. The perfect way to be viewed as in the eyes of my cut-throat competition and media.

So why doesn't the mutt get it? He always looks so damn happy to see me, even though I treat him like the dirt that he is. No, actually, even dirt gets more respect than Wheeler. I at least find the dirt worthy of being stood upon.

He _used_ to have common sense. Or at least, some tiny amount of it. Enough that he survived the past twenty years. He _used_ to hate even the sight of me, calling me a bastard, a spoiled rich jerk, or his personal favorite, _moneybags._ He'd fling pathetic insults at me every time he saw my face, and practically beg for a duel so he could, I quote, "Teach me a lesson Joey Wheeler style".

I retract my previous statement. He never had _any_ common sense.

Still, at least I never had to put up with his sad attempts at befriending me. Now, he constantly asks me if I want to, "Chill with the gang" or "Grab some chow". Does it never end? He can't honestly think I'll accept his invitations, and even if I did, I wouldn't be welcome at one of those dweeb conventions. They barely tolerate me even when the situation is urgent, and that's only because they need my resources. If it weren't for my money, they'd all be thrilled if they never had to see me again.

That must be it. The mutt is sucking up to me since I'm his boss...Ha. So obvious, how did I miss that before? He's worried I'm so immature that I'll fire him because I hate his guts, so he's playing nice to keep his job. And to think for a moment I thought his effort was merely credited to his stupidity. It looks like the dog is more cunning than I acknowledged him for.

No one gives affection for free. There's always an ulterior motive, whether money, popularity, or pleasures of the flesh. That was one of many lessons Gozaburo made sure I knew, and although I despise the old man, that was one truth I had to accept whether I wanted to or not.

So Wheeler is just like every other self-oriented human being on the planet. So be it. Strangely, I find myself mildly disappointed- but just because I'm surprised doesn't mean I care.

Mokuba and I had a fight a while back. It was several months ago, but it was so unusual, I remember it clearly. I suppose it wasn't really a fight, since Mokuba did most of the yelling, but I did argue with him.

We aren't your typical siblings who fight over every insignificant disagreement. We can never be that, since I need to be the consistent, mature figure for Mokuba to rely on. Yet the largest fight we've had since our parents death was over something so trivial.

I had gone to pick Mokuba up after school, and he had wanted to go over to a friends' house. I normally allow him to visit who he wants, so long as he gives me a day or two of notice, in which I check up on the family to make sure it's a safe environment for him to be in. After all the kidnappings Mokuba's been through, I can't afford to be lenient. But in this particular case, he hadn't told me ahead of time that he wanted to go. It was a friend he'd never visited before, but he begged me in hopes that he could go with the boy.

I didn't let him. When we arrived home that evening, Mokuba had asked me angrily why I wouldn't believe him when he told me his friend was trustworthy. I told him he had too much confidence in his friends, and they could easily stab him in the back. Looking back at the scene, I shouldn't have said it so bluntly. Mokuba is only a child, after all, and shouldn't need to be suspicious of everybody he meets.

The situation escalated, and Mokuba shouted that I had trust issues, and left the room in tears. It was one of the moments I wondered if I really made the right choice, taking over KaibaCorp and destroying Mokuba's only chance of having a normal childhood. And mine.

He never apologized afterwards, and neither did I. Eventually, he returned and curled up next to me, hugging me sadly. He had told me he was so glad to have me as his brother, and he loved me even if I made him mad sometimes. It was perplexing; it felt almost as though _I_ was the one being comforted. As though _I _was the one who needed the reassurance.

And maybe I _did_need it. Without Mokuba, there would be no point in everything I've done. Maybe I needed him to forgive me like that.

_"Admitting weakness is admitting defeat, and to admit defeat is the same as death**."_

Gozaburo. He never did approve of my attachment to Mokuba. What would he say if he read this now?

_-Seto Kaiba_

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><p><strong>**I altered a quote from the manga for this. When Gozaburo jumped off the building after Seto took over KaibaCorp, Seto said, "Defeat is the same as death...You taught me that too, and I'll always remember it".<strong>

**Sorry there wasn't as much Joey-time this chapter, but I figured Mokuba will always be the priority for Kaiba...and I thought there hadn't been enough of the kid to demonstrate that. There'll be more puppyshipping in the future, though, so rest assured. ^.^**

**Please review? :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey, I'm back. Just thought I'd post the next chapter before I disappear from the internet for another week...Yay, the ocean! Yay, summer! Yay, hot mexican guys in swim suits! :D**

**Ahem. On a **_**much**_** more professional note...THANK YOU SO MUCH MY LOVELY REVIEWERS! **_**Masaki-Hanabusa, Livelygirl838, lillymansfield, Clarity2199, SerenePanic, shadowkitsune-sama, **_**and **_**OtEpShAmAyA**_**! You guys are super-special-amazingly-awesome! You guys are the reason I had motivation to write this chapter...Thanks for being my inspirational supporters! ;)**

**Okay, I'm serious now. Kaiba-mode, officially activated. Here we go.**

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><p><em>May 10, 20XX<em>

Mokuba left yesterday, ordering me to continue writing in this. He had taken a break from school to visit Japan for a week. The school is especially lenient with him because of KaibaCorp, although it's not like his grades would have suffered anyway. Mokuba's been taught by the best tutors there are, after all. And despite the fact that Gozaburo didn't force on Mokuba the strict instruction he forced on me, he's still had an above-average education.

It's strange how easily Mokuba slips back into how it used to be, with him following me wherever I go and paying attention to my every word. Paying attention because he _wants_ to, not because I'm the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company and he can't afford _not_ to listen. Yet he leaves this life with the same amount of ease he enters it with, and it seems unnaturally quiet when he's gone. It's strange how I never notice the tediousness of my job before he arrives, but it grates mercilessly on my patience after he's left.

Before he returned to America, though, Mokuba wanted to see the dweeb patrol again. I let him invite them over to the mansion, which I would have regretted deeply if Mokuba hadn't been so damn thrilled. I don't know why he finds hanging out with those overly happy geeks so enjoyable. He invited _all_ of them, to make matters worse, and they were all disgustingly excited to boot. I decided Mokuba or not, I was _not _participating in the dorkfest.

I was able to enjoy the peace and quiet of my home office for about an hour before The Idiot decided to pay me a visit...You'd think he'd have someone else to annoy. I'm not even sure how he found my office. I would have thought the mansion far beyond Wheeler's mindless navigating abilities. Then again, he _has_ always relied on dumb luck, in duels and otherwise.

I threatened to call security on him, but the mutt was as stubborn as always. He said I was turning into a hermit and needed some friends...He really should have noticed by now that friendship isn't my thing. I would have kicked him out right away, but he was unusually withdrawn. As long as he didn't disturb my work, I decided Mokuba would be happier if I didn't have the guards drag out one of his guests.

In fact, the mutt was unbelievably reclusive. It wasn't as though I was particularly concerned, but he seemed _off_, somehow. He put up a half-hearted attempt to maintain our normal bickering, but it was obvious he wasn't really focusing on our conversation. He had an uncharacteristic frown on his face the entire time and his voice was almost a mumble. For some reason, I found it even more irritating than his normal, obnoxiously loud personality.

I ended up telling him he was acting like an annoying introvert, which I admit wasn't my smartest move. It's not like I _wanted_ him to be cheerful and noisy. Perhaps it was only because I despise people who mope around feeling sorry for themselves. Sulking like a toddler who had their favorite toy taken away never accomplished anything. Focusing on the future is the only way to be successful.

Maybe that's why it was so disturbing seeing _Wheeler_ brooding like that. He's an idiot, but at least he never dwells on the past. Well, he never really _dwells_ on anything since he lacks the intelligence to do so, but...

The mutt didn't offer me an explanation for his behavior, though, much to exasperation. That moron must have been genetically programmed specifically to plague me with his insufferable existence. He intrudes upon my office and doesn't even have the decency to answer a simple question. And rather than giving an answer, he responded by asking me the most aberrant, aimless question of his own instead.

He asked me if I was _lonely_. I don't know where the hell it came from, it was so irrelevant to our conversation. I laughed at him. Not a laugh that held any real joy, but a laugh that was harsh and incredulous.

...The wrong response, I suppose. Joey looked as though I had punched him in the stomach and smiled when I heard the bones crack. I didn't even know he was _capable_ of making that expression. I've dealt with corporate money grabbers and board members who care more about their business than their only son, but the look on his face unnerved me more than confronting those scumbags ever did. Maybe it was because I at least know what to expect when I work with the greedy bastards.

I don't know if Wheeler noticed he got to me. Probably not, since I'm good at maintaining control over my expression and Wheeler isn't exactly the most observant person. Or an observant person _at all_, really. The first person to make a crack in the wall I've built up in the past eight years, and he doesn't even realize what he's accomplished. I suppose in his defense, it only took me a few seconds to recover, and he isn't accustomed to analyzing the expressions of business opponents like I am.

It may have also had something to do with the fact that I told him that I couldn't be lonely since I viewed other people as a waste of my time. I said I preferred being alone over spending time with insignificant nobodies like him.

The mutt didn't even bark back. He left with his tail between his legs, having the nerve to look dejected and forlorn like he had expected a treat from his master and had received a kick instead.

Maybe that's a slight exaggeration. He offered me a fake smile, apologized for asking a stupid question, and left after telling me he'd see me at work on Monday.

...What the hell did he expect? Did he expect me to confide in him, say I'm lonely and miserable and suddenly want friends? He's a fool. Loneliness is just a form of useless self-pity. It's an emotion for the weak, and I am _not_ weak.

I have all that I need. Mokuba, my company, and a secure future. So there was no basis to his question, because there's no reason at all for me to feel unfulfilled. It must have been something else that caused him to ask, something else that had caused him to look so depressed...

...Did Wheeler ask me that because _he's_ lonely?

But that's impossible. He's the one who's always ranting about friendship and always supporting one another. There's no possible way.

Not like it matters. He'll be back to normal by the time he returns to work on Monday, and I'm sure I'll severely regret wasting my time on him. I'll probably have to refrain from firing him when he bothers me again with his incessant chattering, just like always. It would make bad publicity to give in to the temptation.

What am I even doing, writing about this? It must be from lack of sleep since it's past two in the morning. My mind is wandering from fatigue, I should finish my work and get a few hours of rest...For some reason, I can't seem to focus on any of it. It's almost as though I were_ worried_ about something. Pathetic. I have more presence of mind than this.

-_Seto Kaiba_

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><p><strong>So, how many of you noticed Kaiba called Joey by his first name for the FIRST TIME EVER THIS CHAPTER! (...once...) See? See? Progress! Yep, Kaiba is totally whipped. Their relationship is taking off! Puppyshipping at it's max, folks.<strong>

**Yeah, if you caught that, I am seriously impressed. I didn't even notice or remember it when I was self-checking the chapter a week after I wrote it. Heheh. **

**Please review! :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Edited chapter two. Not huge changes, but noticeable. Reason? OOC Kaiba, it's been bothering me for ages. I'm still not totally satisfied with it...but just thought mention it in case someone happened to notice. **

**And of course, big thanks to: punkfluff, YamiAkimotoMayu, lilymansfield, shadowkitsune-sama, fire dragonheart, dancing elf, ainotamenishi, TeresaShiho, SerenePanic, Clarity2199, KeiMaxwell, not bitter just twisted, YGOfangirl4ever, and Livelygirl838. I honestly love reading all your reviews! Thank you so much! :)**

**Sorry for the delay! Here's chapter 6:**

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><p><em>May 16, 20XX (Saturday)<em>

The. Entire. Damn. Week.

It would be the understatement of the millennia to say that the mutt is the most irritating and petty idiot I've ever met. He's been avoiding me Monday through Friday as much as possible, and the few times he _did_ speak to me he cowered like the mediocre loser that he is and refused to look me in the eye. He spoke to me precisely twice this entire week, besides what was necessary for work.

The first was on Monday, when he asked me to tell Mokuba he had fun with everyone at the gathering on Sunday. I told him the feeling wasn't mutual, and he simply responded that he meant he had fun with the _others_, not me. When I told him simpletons enjoy the company of other simpletons, he merely shrugged and walked away.

_Wheeler never walks away_. I don't know him that well, nor do I _want_ to know him that well, but I _do_ know that Wheeler doesn't just walk away when I insult him, much less when I insult his friends. He threw a plain, "my friends aren't simpletons, rich boy," over his shoulder before he turned the corner, but otherwise let it go. At the time I thought he was just avoiding a fight, but he completely ignored me when I purposely taunted him with minor insults during my visit to the programming and development department that day. He did the same on Tuesday and Wednesday, aside from giving me his required report. Well, technically it was his supervisor's report, but the department seems to be under the vastly mistaken impression that Wheeler and I are 'friends', and have unofficially given Wheeler the honor of updating me on the department's progress. Normally he spends unnecessary time talking about random crap and attempting to socialize with me, but this week he's been focused on work to the extent of being rude.

I had thought he might have finally gotten over his pointless tantrum when he gave me a stiff greeting Wednesday morning, but he ended up avoiding me the rest of the day as usual. He even disregarded the snide 'mutt' comments I sent at him.

It _would_ have been an improvement except for the fact that it's so damn annoying. It's completely out of character for him and completely out of nowhere. He's only allowed to look away in defeat _after_ I've taught him his place, not because he's suddenly lost interest. He's _supposed_ to challenge me directly despite the fact that I repeatedly remind him that he's beneath my notice.

He's _not_ supposed to lower his eyes in submission after the first insult I send at him! I want the mutt to be quiet, but only _after_ admitting that I exceed him in every possible way. He does _not_ have the right to ignore me as though _I_ were the one unworthy of attention!

I hadn't even noticed to what extent he bothered me with his ceaseless chattering before now. When did it start? Two months ago**? He had done it so often my secretary had learned to plan my schedule with an extra fifteen minutes when I checked on the programming and development department simply because Wheeler wouldn't _shut up._

Now when I'm scheduled to check on the prototype testing, I have an extra fifteen minutes to spare since the dog doesn't want to spend time with his master. Not really a bad thing, but irritating. It leaves me with too much free time before my appointments when I finish the inspection early. Showing up too early for appointments with other executives can make them think I'm too eager, making them overconfident and difficult to deal with. But I don't make it a habit of lounging around aimlessly, either...leaving me in an aggravating situation where I'm stuck with Wheeler for fifteen silent minutes. I didn't know Wheeler was even capable of keeping his muzzle shut for more than fifteen _seconds_, much less fifteen _minutes_, but somehow he's managed it every day for an entire week.

I can't even tell my secretary to stop allowing the extra time, though; I already tried. On Thursday I told my secretary to schedule the next appointment fifteen minutes earlier than the usual. Naturally, that was the day Wheeler decided to lose his temper. Imbecile.

...Well, I suppose I _did_ provoke him. I'll even admit I probably went too far. I told him he had no pride if he was going to let me continue insulting him without any retaliation. When he didn't respond, I told him he was so slow coming up with a response it was no wonder he was such an amateur duelist. I said he lacked the brain cells to even communicate.

And then, when he still didn't answer...I told him he was such a pathetic mongrel, the only reason his friends kept him around was because they pitied him. I told him he was completely worthless, and the only reason he managed to save his sister from blindness was because of Yugi's charity in Duelist Kingdom. I claimed that he couldn't earn the winnings himself, so he had to rely on Yugi to give him the prize money.

...That didn't go over so well. I honestly thought he was going to try and punch me, right in the middle of babbling on about some statistics which I was only half paying attention to and kept speaking over in an attempt to get some sort of a reaction. In the end, he only slammed the papers he was holding down on the desk, told me through clenched teeth and narrowed eyes that he was finished with his report, and left the room while slamming the door behind him.

He didn't deny it. I only went that far because I expected him to yell at me in anger and tell me I was a jerk who had a specially-reserved spot in hell. But he _didn't_ deny it, and I realize now that I probably hit a personal landmine. Everyone has at least one; I just happened to find Wheeler's. He hates being on the receiving end of people's pity.

The next day his supervisor gave me the report, informing me that Wheeler had work he needed to catch up on. In other words, the coward ran away. I didn't see him at all on Friday, and I suspect Monday is going to be the same. I don't particularly care, since it was his own fault. I wouldn't have gone so far if he hadn't ignored me all week in the first place. After all, I don't even know what made him start pouting in the first place.

Well, logically, it's probably the fact that I laughed at him when he came to visit me during Mokuba's gathering of the nerd herd. That's the last interaction I had with him since the silent treatment began. The _silent treatment._ He's like an elementary schooler, using such juvenile methods. He should act mature for once in his pathetic life.

And really, it's not like I haven't done worse things to him. What set him off this time? _What_ did I do that was so horrifyingly callous that he completely avoids me now? He doesn't even tell me what he's sulking about! What does he expect to accomplish by moping around like a brat if he won't even confront me about what he's angry about? He's acting like a coward.

It's not like him. Normally he'd face me directly and stupidly, but something makes this time different. Is it the boss-employee status? It never bothered him before...He was the one trying to stabilize his job by getting close to me.

...Although, to be completely honest, I realize his efforts were more likely inspired by Yugi's cheerleaders, telling Wheeler that his new job was the perfect chance to 'befriend' me. Wheeler's pride would never allow him to suck up to me, no matter how badly he needed the job...If that were the case, he would have exploded all the times I tried to provoke him. No, he was probably acting that way at the suggestion of the dweeb patrol. I'm surprised he went for it, though; he hated me as much as I hate him. But if it wasn't for the nerd herd, and it wasn't for his job, there doesn't seem to be a logical explanation for why he tried so hard to get close to me. Whatever the reason, I'm shocked the moron lasted so long.

Actually, I find it more disconcerting that he gave up. Wheeler never struck me as the type to admit defeat so easily. Two months of endless bickering and he throws up his hands after one rude laugh and dismissal? I tolerated his pitiful efforts of small talk and allowed him to follow me around like a dog for _two months_. He doesn't even realize the unique treatment he received; most employees would have been fired after attempting that for a _day_.

Ha. That makes it sound like he was receiving 'special' privileges or the like. It was more like he was an unconventional source of entertainment and curiosity. Work gets dull without Mokuba, just like school did back when I was a teenager. At least Wheeler added some variety to my otherwise structured life. It's impossible to know what that idiot will do next...Only idiots can understand what other idiots are thinking, which means Wheeler has the ability to completely stun me. It's rare to find someone moronic enough to insult me directly if he can afford to have KaibaCorp as his enemy. It's even rarer to find someone moronic enough to insult me directly when it's clear he _can't_ afford to have KaibaCorp as his enemy. In fact, I'd say the only person stupid enough to fall under that category is Wheeler.

Wheeler has always been uniquely and exceptionally dimwitted. His insults seldom range from "money bags" and "prick", he relies on dumb luck in both life and duels, and has a blind faith in friends who talk more than they think. He's the type of person who makes me glad that no matter what, at least I didn't turn out like him.

Of course, Wheeler's most aggravating trait is that he thinks the exact same thing about me. At least he didn't turn out to be a cold-hearted demon who only cares about winning, that's what he thinks. That's easy for him to say, when he can afford to lose and act like a fool. I can never lose without facing the consequences.

So obviously, Wheeler never liked me in the first place, and never liked me at any moment after that. He was probably only clinging to me in an attempt to reach his idealistic expectations of friendship and now he's finally given up. Most likely, he hates me more than ever. I know he didn't really care about me one way or another, and I'm sure the situation hasn't changed. The only difference is that the mutt finally realizes how futile his efforts have been.

Of course, the same applies for the reverse. I don't care about him. It's a relief to finally be rid of the monkey.

Still, I wish it wouldn't keep nagging at me. I have more important things to deal with than a flea-ridden mutt.

_-Seto Kaiba_

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><p><strong>**If anyone was wondering about the smaller details, assuming Joey's attempts at friendship began in Chapter 2 with the fateful duel monsters game and the McDonalds lunch...Then yes, it's been around two months, since that entry was written March 3 and now it's May 10 (in Kaiba-measured time).<strong>

**Anyway, will Kaiba and Joey make up soon? Stay tuned and find out next chapter! (yep, now I'm sounding like an annoying end-of-episode announcer...Are there no depths I won't sink to? D:)**

**Please let me know what you think! Review? :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: _Livelygirl838, fire dragonheart, dancing elf, YGOfangirl4ever, lilymansfield, ainotamenishi, shadowkitsune-sama, limnamae (Freya), Cira Stones, SasuNarufan4ever, Smouse, Kiseki no Tenshi, rosepetals98...*_nods in acknowledgement***

**...That was Kaiba-speak, and it roughly translates to Crystia-speak as THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS! THEY ARE SUPER AMAZINGLY AWESOME! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH AND I WANT TO GIVE YOU ALL VIRTUAL HUGSSSSS! :D :D **  
><strong>...You know, that's what it would translate to if Kaiba were a hug-y, lovey-dovey person. ^.^ <strong>

**Oh...And I DO apologize for this chapter being so late. It was undergoing intense editing...and procrastination...I'm very sorry...But! Here it is! **

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><p><em>May 21, 20XX (Wednesday)<em>

Yugi Mutou. He's exactly the same person I remember, aside from perhaps his height. Then again, even after he finally received his long-overdue growth spurt, he'd still only appear tall if he was standing amongst a group of preschoolers. It's fortunate for the twerp that he grew a backbone to go with the few inches he managed to gain, or else he'd still be mistaken for a grade schooler.

Of course, he'd never be mistaken for one during a duel- his maddening confidence during the game is unmistakable, and certainly not found in a child. His personality might be slightly less pretentious than when he acted as his self-proclaimed "other self", the supposed Pharaoh, but only just barely.

If I ever deem my high school years worth remembering, which is unlikely, I might recall that Yugi and his pathetic cheerleaders somehow integrated themselves into my life, which would have otherwise been free of meaningless distractions. For whatever reason, I was never able to fully remove them from my figurative list of nonsense until after high school. I had a score to settle and a debt to pay in regards to Yugi for his occasional, if not insignificant, assistance. Nevertheless, a substantial number of my high school years were spent attempting but failing to avoid his magical nonsense since it always seemed to link back to my company.

Yugi, his 'other half', and even that irritating woman Ishizu- they all claimed it was my 'fate' and my 'destiny' to partake in their ludicrous enterprizes, but I fail to see how my life is anything but what I made for myself. _I_ chose to trap Gozaburo into adopting my brother and I, _I_ chose to take over his company, and _I _chose every decision I made along the way. Yugi may be a competent gamer and duelist, but he's always been painfully naive when it comes to his destiny bullshit. That, and his friendship nonsense.

Then again, this musing is meaningless. The past is the past, and it should be forgotten unless an advantage is to be found in remembering. I regret nothing, because regretting is profitless.

The only reason I'm wasting my time thinking about insignificant memories is because I saw Yugi today, around five hours ago, visiting the mutt right after his shift ended. I happened to be in the vicinity, not that I was talking to Wheeler. He was still giving me the 'silent treatment', and really, I stopped paying any attention to his juvenile methods. If he wanted to be even more of a pathetic loser than he already was, so be it.

In contrast, Yugi was his annoying, happy-go-lucky self, as always. I challenged him to a rematch, of course, and despite his protests we both knew he didn't have the option of backing out.

I had him down to his last hundred life points, but he managed to draw the one card that could save him at the last minute. As always. At least he didn't spew any 'heart of the cards' crap at me. His friendship nonsense used to bother me almost more than the defeat itself.

Wheeler aggravates me even more than the friendship nonsense.

Wheeler started talking to me again, as of three hours ago. Even for him, I have to admit he's acting even more senseless than usual. _Prior_to the duel three hours ago, his behavior was normal. He'd see me, pretend he didn't see me, and walk away. The following three hours he acted just as cheerful as he had before he started avoiding me.

You'd think if he takes the trouble of staying away from me, he'd follow through with his objective. Wheeler never struck me as the type to forfeit his attempt halfway, but he's proven once again that I should know better than to expect more of him than he deserves. Though I expected little of him in the first place.

I was late for my meeting because of the shameless idiot. He chattered endlessly after my duel with Yugi; it was almost as though he was trying to say everything he'd neglected the past two weeks in half an hour. As if I care. As if _he _cares.

What the hell does he want? After the mutt congratulated his 'friend' after my loss, he decided to tell me with his naive smile that I dueled well and he'd enjoyed watching me play. He would have never shut up if I hadn't told him to stop mocking me when he's in no position to look down on _anybody_, and that he was one hundred IQ points short of being able to call himself my equal.

Correction: even _that _didn't shut him up. It's been awhile since I've heard him shout so furiously and idiotically. It's been an equally long time since I've seen his face turn such a hideous red. It's not often that Wheeler makes my day, but Wheeler has been known for the occasional miracle; he never would have lasted so long in my tournaments otherwise. There's something oddly satisfactory in watching a stupid dog bark when you know it won't bite.

I've always found idiocy irritating, but Wheeler has a talent for making it almost amusing. Especially when he becomes so infuriated he can do little more than yell uncreative insults when the only acknowledgement he receives for his impromptu temper tantrum is a smirk. I normally refrain from smiling around anyone but Mokuba, but I have been known for the occasional lapse. After all, it's certainly worth it if it makes Wheeler lose his cool. Besides, it's not as though my smiles are _friendly _or anything disgusting like that. Now that I think about it, Mokuba did tell me once that I didn't smile genuinely anymore. Well, he put it more delicately, since Mokuba has always been the more diplomatic one. To put it bluntly and without the sugarcoating, he basically told me I'd never make any friends if I didn't learn to smile politely instead of sneering.

As if I'd be so lucky. Unfortunately, it seems Mokuba was wrong. Wheeler appears dedicated to his task of _irritating me to death_, regardless of how rudely I smirk at him.

Perhaps that's a slight exaggeration, but upon further analyzation, it's actually a plausible theory. I had originally dispensed the idea, thinking that Wheeler didn't have the patience or the motivation to spend so much time with someone he hates...but I've reconsidered. It isn't possible that he genuinely wants to be friends, he's certainly not a patient person by nature like Yugi, and he isn't one of the calculating snakes trying to get close to me for my money. Therefore, I've concluded he must be attempting to befriend me for the straightforward purpose of irritating me as much as humanly possible. It's brilliant in its simple stupidity. He's annoying me purely for entertainment.

He's even managed to pull it off until now, but it's a small accomplishment. Now that I've seen through his stupid game, I won't let him win. Maybe I didn't realize what he was up to before, but now that I've put together the facts, Wheeler might as well cower at my feet and start begging for mercy. I don't back down from any challenge, and I have no intention of losing to a mutt. Wheeler thought he could win- he thought he could follow me around, wagging his tail, and he would know exactly what to expect.

It makes sense now. Before I realized what he was trying to do, what had me puzzled about his act was that my reactions never surprised or disappointed him; in fact, they satisfied him. I'd let him see that he was irritating me, and it amused him. Every single time...I can't believe I've allowed him to get away with it for so long. I never realized it until the roles were reversed, and I was the one watching and enjoying his predictable fit of rage.

There was the one exception to the rule, of course, that made me discard the idea at first. I didn't think anyone would be stupid enough to continually test my patience (but if there's one thing I've learned not to underestimate, it's the depths of Wheeler's stupidity), and in addition he'd always act disheartened when I refused to spend any unnecessary time with him. Looking at it objectively, however, he was most likely just disappointed that he had less time to annoy me.

And then there was the one incident at Mokuba's party when Wheeler stormed off and wouldn't talk to me for nearly two weeks...until a few hours ago, in fact. So clearly, I really did anger him that time. But since Wheeler was following me on his own terms, he could afford to ignore me when he didn't feel like continuing. If I angered him instead of entertained him, he wouldn't bother to follow me; logically, he avoided me when he tired of his game.

So maybe Wheeler won the first round...but like duel monsters, he hasn't won the match. He dominated the first battle with trap cards and senseless attacks with no real strategy, but we're still playing, and now it's my turn. His cheap tricks are no match for a real opponent, and there's no competition now that I know his game. If Wheeler thinks he can best me, whether in duel monsters or in some moronic psychological game of his own creation, he's sorely mistaken.

He should have walked away while he was still ahead, but like all idiots do when they gamble across a bit of luck, he became conceited and couldn't leave well enough alone. I'm going to teach Wheeler something he'll never forget, something that Gozaburo forced me to learn long ago: luck is not the same as skill, and only a fool confuses the results of his good fortune with the results of his own capability.

Wheeler relies on luck, I rely on skill...and therefore, the outcome of this idiotic mind game is already decided.

_-Seto Kaiba_

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><p><strong>Wow, Kaiba is finally catching on! :D ...Sort of. Okay, maybe not. But hey, give the guy some credit, he's getting closer! XD<strong>

**Please review? :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey, I'm back! Thank you so much _Clarity2199, limnamae, dancing elf, shadowkitsune-sama, fire dragonheart, lilymansfield, Livelygirl838, and SerenePanic_ for sticking with me, even though my updates are getting a bit slow. The support really keeps me going, so this chapter is all thanks to you guys! :)**

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><p><em>June 15, 20XX<em>

Wheeler turned out to be a more formidable opponent than I expected. I've tolerated his nonsense for nearly three weeks now, and he still hasn't given up.

The unspoken competition is this: Wheeler tries his utmost to exasperate me with his 'friendship' pretense, and I exasperate him twice as much by not showing any irritation. Easier said than done when Wheeler is a menace. Of course, he's no match for _me_, even if he has scored a few points.

It's a childish game. It's the game where the kid follows around the adult, acting as annoying as possible and hoping for a reaction. Or in this case, the dog following his master. Ignoring him is the only way to stop his efforts, because even calling him a moron proves he's successfully gained my attention.

I haven't shown him any impatience; I've barely acknowledged him at all...and yet he still hasn't given up. If anything, he seems to be getting worse.

The idiot even wormed his way into my house. This morning he claimed that he left his dog tag at my mansion during Mokuba's party, and he wanted to come over after work to retrieve it. Dog tag. That earned a snort.

Wheeler yelled at me after I made the inevitable 'dog' remarks, although I fail to see what he expected. He comes up to me and tells me he left his _dog tag _at my mansion, and then acts surprised at my snide comments. I suppose his tantrum means another point for me, but now that I think about it, there's no official score. I'll win when he finally gives up.

Nevertheless, he eventually calmed down enough to insist that he still wanted to find the stupid thing. I rejected him immediately, obviously, but he was adamant. I told him I'd have the servants look for it, but Wheeler wouldn't take no for an answer. He said he didn't want to 'be any trouble' and that it'd be easiest if he just looked around where he left it. He ignored me when I informed him that following me home was much more of a hassle than ordering my servants to find it.

I still told him a flat out no, but Wheeler managed to stun me again. Truly, the extent of his brainlessness is _staggering._

He tried to force his way into my limo, _while I was in it_, and broke his foot in the process.

I don't even have words to describe his stupidity, and the problem certainly doesn't lie with my articulation.

To make a short story even shorter: he stuck his foot into the door of my limo while it was closing, my security guard dragged him out, and the mutt tried to shove my guard away. I say 'tried', because Wheeler promptly fell over when he put his weight on his aforementioned foot.

Let's just say Wheeler is fortunate that I had copious amounts of aspirin in that car, because otherwise I might have been tempted to watch my guards drag him all the way to court. I had a hard enough time resisting the urge even _with _the aspirin.

Wheeler doesn't have the money to waste on doctor's visits and broken ankles. What is it going to take for that imbecile to realize he's in absolutely no position to be making such stupid, reckless mistakes? He has to pay for his father's debts, he has to take care of his sister, he has to take care of _himself_...

I ordered the moron to get in the car, telling him he was going to fetch his dog tag after all. I decided it was in bad taste to let the mutt go around untagged, and when hen I mentioned the idea out loud, I thought Wheeler's head might to burst from the building blood pressure. I disregarded his ranting and cursing in favor of calling my personal doctor.

I should have left him on the street and gone home by myself.

I realized this as soon as Wheeler took his first, limping step into my mansion, despite all the odds against him. The doctor came promptly and Wheeler was granted a cast and crutches, but when I ordered him out, Wheeler wouldn't leave. Or more accurately, he _couldn't _leave. Every time he tried to walk on his crutches, he'd lose his balance or drop them.

Well, _I _refused to teach him, so I told him to wait for Mokuba to return home. Mokuba broke his leg a year or so back, and he would be a far better teacher with far more patience than I would have. I had work to do, so I left the mutt to wait in living room. He seemed surprised that I wasn't going to stay with him; again, his stupidity stuns me. He couldn't have honestly believed that I would nurse him and pat his head.

When I informed him of this blatant detail, however, he said he was merely shocked that I would leave him unsupervised. I went to my office without answering. I trust Wheeler not to steal anything, but I certainly don't trust him not to dangle that fact over my head for the rest of his idiotic lifetime.

Again, I underestimated him. Of course, although Wheeler didn't plunder my mansion, I should have known better than leaving him without a chaperone. I expected him to be gone when I went downstairs two hours later, but Wheeler was _still _there...having the time of his life playing a racing game on the big-screen T.V.

Soon after, I received a call from Mokuba, asking to stay overnight at a friend's house. I decided it was an excellent opportunity to kick Wheeler out of my mansion, his inability to walk and lack of an instructor aside. Before I had the chance, however, Wheeler started chattering about my high tech entertainment system and how he needed to come over more often.

_That _would have gotten him thrown out immediately, but I couldn't help but show him his place when Wheeler started bragging about how he had defeated the highscore, which he wrongly assumed was mine. I'd never played the game before (the score was Mokuba's), but he did play better than expected. His skills were certainly more impressive than his efforts at duel monsters since he didn't rely solely on luck. He even beat me...one time, the first round, when I was learning the controls.

No matter how many times I beat him afterwards, though, he challenged me over and over and over again. I humored him, for once, since I was curious to see how long his determination would last under the face of defeat. He bet he could beat me if I gave him enough time, and I ended up giving him more time than I intended. We played past nine o'clock, and the only reason he managed to pull it off was by blocking my view of the screen with a haphazardly thrown pillow. Or at least, he _might _have won, before I whipped it back at him so hard he dropped his own remote. The race ended in a draw.

After declaring that he refused to leave me alone until after he ate, the moron decimated my kitchen. Wheeler inhaled everything edible while I barely managed to salvage a cup of coffee. Apparently, 'etiquette' is not part of his limited vocabulary. Nor is 'restraint', 'decency', or 'rationality'.

On the other hand, the conversation was almost civil, if his repulsive eating habits are painfully overlooked. I never threatened to throw him out, and he never used any of his own violent threats. No, that's a lie, there was a combination of both, but neither of us followed up on them. Perhaps that was simply because his mouth was too full to keep up a real argument.

While he satisfied his disgusting appetite, I had little choice but to watch him. I don't make the same mistake twice, and leaving him unsupervised again clearly wasn't an option. He had so much food in his mouth, he quite probably would have choked to death if I didn't make sure he chewed. I had no desire to come down tomorrow morning to the sight of a blond corpse in my kitchen.

He attempted to make conversation, even though his words were barely decipherable through his overfilled mouth. One question stood out to me; it was so incredibly unrelated to the earlier topic. He asked me about my blue eyes, and if I had inherited them from my mother or father. He said they were unusual since I had such dark hair. For some reason, I answered him honestly. They're from my mother.

Perhaps he expected me to ask him about his own rare combination of blond hair and dark eyes, but I've never been one for useless small talk. He kept the conversation going on his own, though, and mentioned how we were total opposites, even down to our atypical hair and eye colors. If I had participated in his rambling, I would have added his idiocy opposed to my intelligence. His honesty in contrast to my calculating lies.

I realize that if I had cared enough, I might have wondered which of his parents gave him the strange combination. I might have asked about the good-for-nothing losers who couldn't even take care of their own flesh and blood. Wheeler's mother, who disappeared and left him to fend for himself. Wheeler's father, who took advantage of his resources and left him in debt. Except that I didn't care enough to wonder, because scum like that doesn't deserve my attention.

For all our differences, it's a familiar scenario. My parents who died, leaving me to take care of Mokuba on my own. My relatives who used up our inheritance and left us with nothing.

They're all the same. Greedy, self-important failures who are so pathetic they have to step on children to get ahead. Then again, it's not as though their actions surprise me.

It's an interesting parallel. I used my intelligence to escape from being crushed by my misfortune, but Wheeler used his idiocy. I gained money, resources, and everything I needed using my skill; Wheeler stumbled around like a moron until he chanced upon a group of 'friends' who would bail him out.

A lost dog picked up and coddled instead of turning into a vicious stray.

A stupid mutt who somehow managed to sneak into the guest room of my mansion for the night.

-_Seto Kaiba_

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><p><strong>Please review? :)<strong>


	9. Chapter 9

**Second-to-last chapter! This journal ends at ten. **

**Thank you for sticking with me **_**SerenePanic, EmotionalInsomniac13, dancing elf, Raspberry14, YGOfangirl4ever, PuppyshippingFan, Abzstar, Kakamashi7, theabridgedkuriboh, fire dragonheart, Livelygirl838, KeiMaxwell, lillymansfield, Guest, Aria Azurestone, Moonlit Assassin, and shadowkitsune-sama.**_** I'm constantly awed by the amount of support this story gets. You guys are incredible, and I never would have written this much if you wonderful people hadn't stayed with me. :) **

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><p><em>August 26, 20XX<em>

I finally won. It took nearly three months, but the childish game finally concluded.

Wheeler gave up.

I never expected him to endure the game for so long, nor did I think he would manage to remain so cheerful until the last battle. But he finally forfeited, and the victory belongs to me.

Disturbingly, he nearly won- he rapidly gained ground; so quickly, he almost concerned me. Of course, I should have known he would lack the tenacity to deal the finishing blow.

Then again, he probably would have lasted longer if it hadn't been for extenuating circumstances.

I gave him no _choice _but to lose. If he still clung to me after I insulted him so utterly, rather than dedicated, he would have just been a pathetic idiot.

I accused him of leaking KaibaCorp secrets to Industrial Illusions.

The evidence all pointed to him. I would have been a fool _not _to accuse him; the information he held was the information that was disclosed, so naturally, Wheeler was the most logical suspect to blame.

When Gozaburo trained me as the heir for KaibaCorp, I remember one of the many lessons he taught me was that mercy is a weakness, and weakness leads to defeat. Gozaburo would always destroy anyone who was under even the slightest suspicion of double-crossing him, no matter how long the employee had faithfully worked for KaibaCorp.

I refuse to be anything like _him_; I decided that a long time ago. But one of the largest mistakes I made was sparing the big five, even if it was only long enough for me to check the results of my virtual world. Even by overlooking their betrayal for only a few hours almost caused my defeat, placed Mokuba in unnecessary danger, and put me insufferably in Yugi's debt once again.

I make a point not to repeat my mistakes, and when I indicted Wheeler, I did so deliberately. I've learned first hand that trusting anyone but myself or Mokuba only leads to failure.

Wheeler betrayed KaibaCorp, and yet when I accused him, he looked as though _I _had betrayed _him_.

Disturbingly, I felt no satisfaction when I defeated him. Of course, I didn't display my pathetic lack of triumph, and Wheeler remained unaware of it, but it was still intolerably there. He called me 'an emotionless bastard', 'an egotistical, untrusting rich freak', and 'didn't I know him better than that'? And I ignored his shouted protests, wondering when I started considering him a more credible source than substantial proof.

Because I find it unlikely that Wheeler was responsible for the breach. He doesn't lie, he doesn't cheat, and above all, he never betrays those he considers friends. And at some point in time, I'm aware that Wheeler started considering me as such, even when I made it clear that I thought otherwise.

His moronic friend came to visit him around a month ago, stopping by after work much like Yugi had done. Tristan Taylor, one of his annoyingly abundant cheerleaders. At least Wheeler had the nerve to play the game himself, but then again, perhaps the dark-haired idiot is the more intelligent one. Wheeler only ever succeeded in humiliating himself by blatantly displaying his stupidity, whereas Taylor only flaunted his pathetic lack of motivation.

That particular day, Wheeler had been trying to persuade me to a rematch on Mokuba's old racing game, though I suspected his real motive was a ride in my limo. Despite half expecting him to develop an irrational fear of the car after breaking his leg in the door, the moron recovered with frightening speed, and proceeded to shamelessly beg rides from me. He had yet to succeed, but he persisted nonetheless.

Taylor stumbled across us when we were exiting the building, Wheeler pleading and threatening while I thoroughly ignored him. Well, ignored him aside from the occasional 'mutt' retort, though he seemed almost used to them by then. He still protested, but he lacked his original flare of temper.

Taylor and Wheeler started talking, and I was about to use the chance to escape the mutt- _finally_- but Taylor seemed to think that picking a fight with the CEO of KaibaCorp was one of his smarter ideas. Given his apparent level of intelligence, perhaps it was. He greeted me, and when I didn't respond, he lost his temper and said that I hadn't changed at all, and that I was still an egotistical bastard.

I could have cared less what the idiot thought so long as I successfully escaped from the _other _idiot, but as it turned out, I lost my chance of escape when I heard Wheeler defend me. It was entirely absurd; Wheeler so often insults me the same way and it was completely hypocritical for him to tell Taylor off for doing the same.

He then gave Taylor a friendly punch in the shoulder, told him he had plans with _me _and that they would 'hang out' some other time, and arrogantly stepped into my limo. The driver didn't even try to stop him after what happened the last time he tried keeping Wheeler out. He appeared under the impression that I had agreed to let Wheeler tag along, since it had looked as though I had been waiting for the fool. I had paused to stare at him incredulously after he had jumped to my defense.

I would have thrown him out, but I decided to question him instead. When I asked why Wheeler had told Taylor off when he did the same as his friend, he proudly declared that _he_ was the only one allowed to insult me like that. When I asked the moron why he was under the impression that _he _was allowed to insult me as such, he scratched his head embarrassedly and said friends were given 'special insulting privileges'.

Imbecile.

I know that the majority of society consists of lying, deceitful, hypocritical greedy fools who would sooner bite off the hand who feeds them if it meant extra food. Yet for all his idiocy, it is precisely that stupidity which causes me to think that Wheeler truly, stupidly believes in his preachings of friendship, honesty, and loyalty. His hypocrisy is a unique hypocrisy that never intentionally harms those he considers friends.

I don't believe he leaked the information.

But defending him would be illogical and _weak_. If I had protected him, KaibaCorp employees would have seen it as favoritism, trust, or pity; all useless emotions. I cannot favor Wheeler no matter how much he insists on his innocence because that would be a baseless belief. Trust is worthless and stupid when spent on anyone besides Mokuba.

He didn't beg for forgiveness, and he held his head high, proclaiming that he would never use such an underhanded method.

It's _weakness _on my part that I believe him.

Even with the slightest suspicion, I should have fired him. Any other course of action would have been a shortcoming.

But I didn't fire him. Wheeler _quit_.

I didn't accuse him outright. No, I ordered that the breach be investigated when I discovered that a strikingly similar copy of our technology had been released by Industrial Illusions. The supervisor of the programming department discovered that Wheeler had been in possession of the information, and had called me down to review the situation.

I informed Wheeler that the evidence incriminated him almost beyond a doubt, and even though the supervisor had protected him when he pulled that Kuriboh stunt, the man couldn't defend him in face of the current allegations.

When his supervisor began blatantly accusing his integrity, however, Wheeler couldn't stand for that. He turned to me, demanding that I tell him that he would never commit the act.

I was silent.

Normally, I would have fired him on the spot; even if he was innocent, an employee is easily replaced and suspicion equates to a liability. But I knew Wheeler needed the job, I knew that he hated anything underhanded, and I knew that despite the fact that I credited his amiability to an unspoken competition, he honestly, stupidly, disgustingly believed that we were friends.

I didn't fire him, because firing him would have been a loss on my part. That would mean _I _gave up, not the other way around. So I remained silent, just studying him and wondering how the hell Wheeler got himself into such a mess. For someone with such good luck in duel monsters (if such a thing as luck existed), he sorely lacks the same in life.

Wheeler seemed to interpret my silence as an accusation, and took offense. He appeared so utterly betrayed, one would think I had accused him of murder.

He quit. Therefore, he lost. He gave up, I did not.

I won, yet it feels like a loss. The only conclusion I can draw is that Wheeler is innocent, and I'm overlooking an obvious piece of evidence proving he held no responsibility. I lost to the true culprit, and therefore I lost to Wheeler as well.

I lost because he didn't quit due to my superiority, he quit because he knew I was wrong.

Passivity is worse than false accusations; backing down means you're too weak to stand up for your own opinion. I don't suspect him, but I did not defend him, and therefore I am guilty by silent submission.

Which is weaker, the fact that I believe Wheeler is innocent, or the fact that I didn't declare that belief?

It's past five in the morning, and I haven't slept since I arrived home. I've investigated the matter thoroughly, but the leaked programming codes were the ones that Wheeler was responsible for.

I suspect it was his supervisor. The man would've had access to his information, and Wheeler wouldn't have suspected him. He was too grateful after he saved his job when he messed with the system. Ironic, since the trust built from that stupid prank is destroying him.

His supervisor also has a motive. I suspect that the man was worried about losing his job, since Joey had been handling my visits to the department instead of him. Truthfully, he's equally capable of running the department, if not more so. I've been considering promoting him, but I always thought it would inflate Wheeler's ego to an insufferable level.

I don't expect him to forgive me, nor do I particularly desire his forgiveness, but if he wants his job returned, he will receive it. All I need to do is find the evidence incriminating his supervisor, or whoever was responsible for the betrayal. Even in the case that I can't find any, however, if Wheeler is up for the challenge, the position of supervisor is going to be available.

Either way, I'll need to see him again. The mutt can't continue going around untagged, and it seems he left his idiotic dog tag in my office. It was kicked under my desk.

After forcing his way into my mansion, stealing my food, and staying the night, he never even found what he came looking for.

_-Seto Kaiba_

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><p><strong>I updated before 2013! Sorry it was a bit slow anyway, but happy New Year, everybody. ^.^<strong>

**Please review? :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**...Is anyone still reading this? T.T**

**If so, I'm very sorry...Slow, slow update...**

**Thank you so much, if you're still with me, **_**theabridgedkuriboh, YamiEditor, YGOfangirl4ever, AndyJune, Nerdvi, storyline246, lilymansfield, love pup, Raspberry 14, Debbie the Fabulous, Clarity2199, Livelygirl838, EmotionalInsomniac13, SmartPsychoticChaos, Mustangmoon23, TheGeekInPink92, AnnaMNR, **_**and both of my anonymous **_**guest**_** reviewers. **

**I couldn't find the motivation to go back and finish this, but I went back and re-read all of the reviews you guys left...and then, I ended up so motivated, I wrote this all in one sitting! I guess I should've done that sooner, huh? Thanks guys, and sorry about the wait. :')**

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><p><em>December 16, 20XX<em>

Nearly a year after he forced this journal on me, it seems that Mokuba has completely forgotten its existence.

I wouldn't bother writing in this any more, especially now that I've finally escaped the obligation, but under the circumstances, I have little else to do. Wheeler locked me in my room without my laptop, and Mokuba disabled my connections to the outside. They insist that I 'rest' because of the all-nighter I pulled yesterday, but it's difficult to sleep when I can hear them shouting next door in Mokuba's room. Wheeler is incapable of playing video games 'quietly', but if my brother starts using the same vulgar language _he_ does, I _will _make Wheeler suffer.

Mokuba came home for winter break, and he was delighted to learn that the stray mutt has declared this his second home. Or, more accurately, his _first _home, since he seems to enjoy spending more time here than his own. Better food and a better television, he declares, and better company too.

He only adds the latter when he's feeling particularly irritating. He knows I despise that friendship nonsense.

The last time I wrote in this, it appears Wheeler was still under suspicion of divulging KaibaCorp technological data. I was correct, of course, when I suspected his supervisor. After investigating him a few more days, I found all the evidence needed to destroy him in court.

The man was fired, but he escaped without a lawsuit under Wheeler's request. The idiot said that he didn't _like_ Mr. Takahashi after the man caused him to lose his job, but proclaimed that as long as he never did it again, nothing good ever came from holding grudges.

Which is why the moron, after yelling at me extensively and shouting insults too crude to be repeated by a more sophisticated person, decided to continue his efforts to befriend me. He decided to 'forgive' me for firing him.

In other words, he eventually accepted my offer of the empty position, despite the fact that I regretted the proposal as soon as the words left my mouth. He interpreted the offer as an apology, and when I claimed it was only because he was capable, he became even more smug.

Insufferable idiot. Although as much as I loathe to admit it, he _is_ perfectly qualified for the job. I don't hire the incompetent. Still, the smile that stretched across his face made it look like I had offered him a damn mansion.

Then again, it seems Wheeler _did_ interpret my job offer as an open invitation to my house, so perhaps that _is_ what he was excited about.

The fool shows no intentions of giving up his idiotic game to annoy me as much as humanly possible, and continues to insist that we're friends. Rather than forcing him to leave; however, I've had to reevaluate my strategy. Instead of focusing my efforts on ignoring the blond moron and hoping he leaves, I've decided the most effective strategy would be to let him stay and ignore his attempts to irritate me. After all, if his game is to make me snap, I won't give him the satisfaction.

Besides, Wheeler might _think_ he's the one who irritates me the most, but he flatters himself. While he prides himself on his "irritatingness", I'd hardly say he's the most annoying person I work with or even know. I've learned to tolerate him— or at the very least, filter out his idiotic nonsense until he says something mildly intelligent.

I do realize he never tries to infuriate me to an unforgivable extent; though, only severely exasperate me. He's learned to notice when he pushes me too far or when my temper is about to snap, and avoids his usual methods of annoyance when it occurs and even attempts to lighten my mood.

Just yesterday, for instance, I was already short-tempered from the holiday demands. Aggravating business deals, desperate consumers, idiotic employees. It's always the same. I was working overtime yesterday evening, and as Wheeler has been doing for the past few months or so, he came to harass me until I agreed to go home.

When he arrived, he'd barely even begun his usual pestering; he was only complaining about how he was hungry, how Mokuba was waiting, and how even workaholic robots need to recharge at the end of the day. Irritating, but normally not to the point where I lose my temper with him.

After just receiving yet another pointless phone call offering an idea for yet another holiday KaibaCorp promotion; however, I had no patience for him. I greeted him by telling him to shut the hell up and get the hell out of my office; I had more important things to do than entertain a hungry mutt. I turned my back to him, ignored his protests, and answered another phone call.

My tone lacked any of what little patience I normally have, and before he'd started working for me, the dog slur alone would've been enough to offend him and make him slam the door with a furious 'fuck you, Moneybags'. But when I turned back a few minutes later, he'd left without a sound.

Well, I certainly didn't have time to track him down and assuage his 'hurt feelings', but it turns out I didn't have to. He returned around ten minutes later with a coffee, set it down in front of me, and ignored me when I asked what it was for.

Without meeting my eyes, all he mumbled was that he wouldn't let me off so easy every time, and started helping me with filing.

I told him I wouldn't pay him over time, but he stayed for _four hours_, helping me around the office. I arrived home nearly two and half hours sooner than I would have as a result, and he never even asked for a thanks or an apology.

Well, he probably knew he wouldn't receive either. He kept unusually silent for the entire limo ride, at least until we passed a nearby pizza parlor. Even then, he didn't say anything out loud until I spoke. He just _looked_ at it, so tragically it was pathetic.

He would've been able to eat four hours ago if he'd just left. And so, in a rare moment of ill judgement, I decided the two hours he freed me for technically belonged to him, so I ordered the limo to pull over and told Wheeler to make it fast.

His mouth hung open for a good ten seconds when he realized I was letting him get pizza, and even waiting in the limo until he finished. Maybe I should stop calling him a mutt and start calling him a goldfish; the car obviously wouldn't fit through the drive-through. Although he'd been surprised enough that I agreed to give him a ride, even though I told him I was merely avoiding potential lawsuits if he broke his foot in the door again.

He tried to drag me inside with him, but I refused to enter such a low class outlet. In the end, he stubbornly brought several boxes of pizza out to the limo instead, saying it would be rude of him not to share, and anyway, he claimed he was worried I'd leave without him.

Normally I never would have touched the greasy mess, but I hadn't eaten since lunch either, and it was past 9:30. So Wheeler shared it with me, if by 'shared', it means I ate one slice while he ate the other three boxes.

He never complained about working unpaid overtime, he never asked for payment, and he was ridiculously angry when I stayed up until four-thirty working at home despite the fact that he had managed to get me away from the office. And then he convinced Mokuba to lock me in my room, which I _will_ make him regret as soon as I leave. I could escape now, of course, but I have no particular desire to break out of my _own room._

Regardless, I do realize that the mutt is simply concerned for my health, as unnecessary as it is. So while annoying me does appear to be _one_ of his objectives, I'm aware that he also seems to have formed a genuine attachment.

Whether that attachment is to myself or to my high-definition entertainment system remains to be seen.

Judging from the hollers next door, it sounds as though Mokuba just defeated him in yet another video game. The mutt is complaining about something that sounds suspiciously like 'Kaiba genes' being 'inhuman', but Mokuba is laughing too hard for me to hear the specifics. Fortunately for the mutt.

Come to think of it, I suspect my brother didn't forget about this journal at all. He appears under the impression that Joey and I are friends, which had been his initial objective when he asked me to write in this journal. Although after listening to the moron curse _my name_ when _Mokuba_ defeats him, I worry about my brother's deductive reasoning skills.

To begin with, he wanted me to have someone to 'confide' in, and asked me to use this journal as a replacement. I'd hardly say I speak to Wheeler as such, but if it satisfies Mokuba, I'm willing to let him live under that impression. I'll even let the mutt stay at the mansion every once in awhile, to maintain the illusion.

Then again, it's difficult to keep it simply an _illusion_ when the guards no longer even ask my permission to let him in. I suppose, in an incredibly loose form of the definition, Wheeler and I are at least more than frigid acquaintances. Nor are we enemies anymore.

Alarming. I can almost see why Mokuba thinks we're friends.

Well, regardless of the time I have to spend in his idiotic presence, titles are worthless. People who have claimed to be friends have stabbed each other in the back with no remorse, so I have no hidden desire for such a companion. At the very least, friends or not, I trust Wheeler enough that he won't plan or assist in the downfall of my company, despite his occasional threats of a coup d'etat.

Only a complete moron would _tell_ me that he's planning to take over my company and focus it on the mass production of french fries.

I can only hope that when Mokuba gets older, he won't have the same appetite as he does. It's no small miracle in itself that Joey isn't disgustingly overweight—how he remains thin, and muscular at that, remains a mystery—but I don't need my brother picking up his unnatural affinity for food.

It might be too late. They're calling me for dinner now, and it sounds like they convinced the cooks to make pizza again. As if I didn't get enough of the repulsive dish yesterday. That is the _last_ time I ever humor Wheeler and his stomach.

Well then, this should be my last time writing in this journal. I suppose there's no harm done aside from lost time, as long as this never falls in undesirable hands. Which is virtually impossible, since there's no possible way anyone would ever find this. No one's allowed in my room aside from Mokuba, so there's nothing worth concerning myself over in that respect.

As long as my brother doesn't have any more unwanted ideas, this should be the end of it.

_-Seto Kaiba_

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><p><strong>The End.<strong>

**...Sort of. I actually found this partially written "bonus" chapter I had written up...would people be interested in me finishing that and posting it, as a sort of epilogue? **

**Anyway, now I'm going to try and focus on a new puppyshipping fic, "Best of Both Minds", but it's a totally different style from this, soooo...not sure if people would be interested? Guess I'll mention it, though, just in case. :) (shameless plug)**

**Bahh, I'm not quite sure what to make of this, truthfully. I'd love a review, whether to tell me if you loved it, hated it, or you want that extra chapter. **

**Thanks for reading! :D**


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